Turkish President Erdogan blames Egypt 'tyrants' for Morsi's death
Istanbul, Jun 17: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday blamed Egypt's "tyrants" for the death of former Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi who died in a Cairo hospital after fainting during a court session.
"History will never forget those tyrants who led to his death by putting him in jail and threatening him with execution," Erdogan, a close ally of Morsi, said in a televised speech in Istanbul.
Relations between Turkey and Egypt have been virtually non-existent since the Egyptian military, then led by Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, in 2013 ousted Islamist president Morsi. Sisi has since become president.
Erdogan has strongly denounced Morsi's ouster as a "coup" and called for the release of Muslim Brotherhood prisoners in Egypt.
The Turkish leader described Morsi's death as a "symbol of persecution targeting him and his people" and called the ex-president as a "martyr." "In our eyes, Morsi is a martyr who lost his life for the sake of a case he believed in," he said.
Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said: "The coup moved him (Morsi) away from the power but his memory will not be erased." In an earlier comment, Erdogan took aim at Sisi, calling him a "tyrant" who took power in a "coup" and who has trampled on democracy.
The West has remained silent," Erdogan said, accusing European Union member states of turning a blind eye to executions in Egypt.
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PM Modi to address the nation tonight at 8.30 PM
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation tonight at 8.30 PM, a day after a bill to implement women's reservation in legislatures was defeated in the Lok Sabha.
"The Prime Minister will address the nation at 8.30 PM (April 18, Saturday)," an official said.
Modi is expected to delve into the issue of implementation of women's quota and the happenings in Parliament, where opposition parties on Friday voted against the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill.
Under the Bill, Lok Sabha seats were to be increased up to 816 from the current 543 to "operationalise" the women's reservation law before the 2029 parliamentary polls, following a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census. Seats were also to be increased in state and UT assemblies to accommodate 33 per cent reservation for women.
A two-thirds majority was required for the passage of the crucial bill but the ruling BJP-led alliance could not muster the numbers.
During polling on the bill in the Lok Sabha on Friday night, 298 members voted in its support, while 230 MPs voted against it.
Out of 528 members who voted, the bill required 352 votes for a two-thirds majority.
